This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

New Fungicide Registered by EPA

BASF active ingredient Xemium officially cleared for 2012. Company will start with soybeans.

May 04, 2012

There's a new kid on the block for disease control just in time for the 2012 season. BASF announced Thursday (May 3) that it had received clearance for its new active ingredient Xemium. The product, which will be marketed on a number of crops in two key formulations, will have limited availability in its first year.

DISEASE FREE: The new fungicide from BASF - Xemium - was cleared by EPA May 3. State registrations to follow.

The active ingredient - a carboxymide - is the first to be sold into the market on row crops. When it hits the market it will be in tandem with H500 - the active ingredient in BASF's popular Headline fungicide. Nick Fassler, technical marketing manager, BASF, explains that Xemium offers a good overlap of disease control with F500, providing preventive control of the disease. The Xemium molecule is an interesting design versus past versions in the carboxymide family. Fassler explains that the product is translaminar, so it moves through the leaf and gets to the disease. In addition, it crystalizes on the leaf, providing long-term protection.

Here's a rundown on the two products you'll be hearing more about soon.

Priaxor for the row crop market has been cleared for use in corn, soybeans potatoes and tomatoes. "For the first year, we'll be concentrating on soybeans," says Campbell Cox, Xemium product manager. "We'll also be marketing it in the potato and tomato market as well."

The company has been testing the product for three years and found it provides enhanced disease control over F500. When paired - Priaxor is 2 parts F500 to 1 part Xemium - the product picks up the plant health benefits often seen with the strobilurin technology.

Recommended application timing is R3 for use in soybeans. And in tomatoes and potatoes, Cox says the aim is to replace one fungicide application with the new product. "With the longer-lasting control, we may be able to help a farmer eliminate one fungicide application in a season," he notes.

The second product, Merivon, will be for the specialty markets, including stone and pome fruits - initially concentrating on apples and cherries. "We will be adding almonds and grapes to the label by 2014," Cox adds.

University Extension folks who have tested Merivon in the key specialty crops are already looking forward to using the new technology, Cox says. "We think with this technology we'll be able to reduce the amount of spraying - or extend the treatment interval from every seven days to 21 days, for this application in the season," he notes.

The key for specialty crop producers is that if you're already spraying every seven days, one application of Merivon could extend that interval. The product is recommended for no more than two applications in a season.